Tom Seaver vs Dave Stieb: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 as a pitcher; Dave Stieb played 1979–1998 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Tom Seaver (1967–1986) and Dave Stieb (1979–1998) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts; Dave Stieb finished with 176 wins and 1,669 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Dave Stieb's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Dave Stieb's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Dave Stieb's 1,669.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Dave Stieb's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Dave Stieb's 2,895.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Dave Stieb's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Stieb's 4,282.
Tom Seaver
Dave Stieb
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Seaver | Dave Stieb |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 311 | 176 |
| Losses not scored | 205 | 137 |
| Games | Leads: 656 | 443 |
| Games Started | Leads: 647 | 412 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 231 | 103 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 61 | 30 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,640 | 1,669 |
| Walks not scored | 1,390 | 1,034 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,971 | 2,572 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 380 | 225 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,782.2 | 2,895.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.44 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.85 | 5.19 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.62 | 3.21 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Dave Stieb 79,192 to 4,282 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,600 PIV per season to 268, across 22 seasons to 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dave Stieb — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Dave Stieb owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Seaver and Dave Stieb careers compare
From 1979 through 1986, Tom Seaver and Dave Stieb were in the majors together. With 656 games against 443 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Dave Stieb comes out ahead, it is in saves (3 to 1). By rate, Tom Seaver struck out 6.85 and walked 2.62 per nine innings; Dave Stieb struck out 5.19 and walked 3.21. Both had the same role: Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games); Dave Stieb was mainly a starter (412 starts in 443 games). Tom Seaver allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Dave Stieb's 1.25.
Tom Seaver vs Dave Stieb: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Seaver or Dave Stieb?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Dave Stieb in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Dave Stieb's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Dave Stieb's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Dave Stieb's 1,669.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Dave Stieb's 1.25.